On a visit to Elista, the President of Mongolia Tsakhia Elbegdorj visited the main Buddhist temple (khurul) of Kalmykia “Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni”, where he met with the head of the Buddhist republic Shadzhin Lama Telo Tulku Rinpoche.

The President of Mongolia, the state, which is the traditional religion of Buddhism, brought the ritual scarves (Hudack) to set the prayer hall of the 9-meter statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, in deference to the founder of the Buddhist faith and the throne of His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, the highest religious leader of Mongolia and Kalmykia.

The President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and the head of Kalmykia Alexei Orlov took part in the solemn prayers for the welfare and prosperity of Mongolia and Russia. Prayer service led by Hambo Lama and Mongolia Demberliyn Choydzhamtso Shadzhin Lama of Kalmykia Telo Tulku Rinpoche.

At the conclusion of the prayer service Telo Tulku Rinpoche has personally held for the President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj tour of the temple of Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni, which was erected on the site blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his brief visit to the republic in 2004.

The head lama of Kalmykia, told the distinguished guest about the history of the Kalmyk people, and the prospects for the development of Buddhism in Kalmykia.

Detailed discussion was held in the library “Golden abode of Buddha Shakyamuni” that holds a vast collection of priceless works of Indian, Tibetan, Mongolian, Kalmyk Buddhist philosophers, as well as Russian and Western scholars of Buddhism.

During the conversation, Telo Tulku Rinpoche gave the President of Mongolia a formal letter requesting the transfer of Kalmykia for a temporary exhibition of precious relics Oirat Mongols (Kalmyk) – the ancient statues of Lama Tsongkhapa, which currently is run by the main monastery of Mongolia Gandan Tegchenling.

Sacred statue, named Bogd Torguts for centuries served as the object of worship for the Kalmyk people. According to one legend, in troubled times she saved from death Oirats. Hoisting on the camel’s back statue come to life, spoke and pointed the way off the track nomads.

Nomadic tribes brought the statue to the lower reaches of the Volga, then during the Ubushi Khan she returned to Mongolia and Xinjiang through since then kept in monasteries Torgut western Mongolia, where passed down from generation to generation. Two years ago, died last keeper of the sacred statue, and it was decided to transfer her to a monastery Gandan Tegchenling.

According to Telo Tulku Rinpoche, even a short stay in Kalmykia sacred relic would be a source of inspiration and spiritual strength to every citizen of the Buddhist country.

At the end of the conversation the head lama of Kalmykia, presented to President of Mongolia, on a personal note, the Buddhist clergy and the entire Kalmyk people a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. Tsakhia Elbegdorj, for its part, gave an excellent Telo Tulku Rinpoche thangka (image) of the Medicine Buddha handmade, made in technology applications, and books about Mongolia. Gifts, which has deep symbolic significance, indicate the parties’ willingness to continue cooperation between nations, bound by ties of national and spiritual kinship.

Leaving the main temple of Kalmykia Golden Buddha Shakyamuni of Abode, with unique, built on the advice of the Dalai Lama’s 17 statues of the greatest philosophers of ancient Indian scholars of Nalanda University, the president of Mongolia, once again looked around the grand creation of human hands and said: “Very nice!”.